A North Carolina man has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list after allegedly murdering a co-worker and fleeing to Mexico.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information on the whereabouts of Alejandro ‘Alex’ Castillo in connection to the 2016 killing of Truc Quan ‘Sandy’ Ly Le, 23, in Charlotte.
Authorities warn that Castillo, 18, remains at large and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Charlotte Murder Suspect Alejandro Castillo (left) faces state and federal charges in the murder case of Truc Quan ‘Sandy’ Ly Le (right)
Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows images of murder suspect Alejandro Castillo (highlighted in white shirt) crossing the border into Mexico
‘This crime was horrific’, says Special Agent Marc Weingrad of the FBI’s Charlotte Division. ‘Sandy was an innocent woman who was shot in the head.’
The investigation initially began after the families of Le, Castillo, and his accomplice all filed missing persons reports days before the victim’s body was found and identified.
Le and Castillo are said to have met while working together at a restaurant in North Carolina’s largest city. According to the FBI, the pair briefly dated before her death.
A joint investigation by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and the FBI revealed that Castillo had borrowed money from Le. He later arranged a meeting with the victim on the premise of repaying her.
Text messages uncovered by authorities showed that the two had agreed to meet in Charlotte on August 9, 2016.
The FBI cites CMPD Det Brent Koeck as stating that, upon meeting, Castillo had ordered Le withdraw a large sum of money from an ATM.
Investigators estimate that Castillo drove the victim to a wooded area before she was shot in the head.
The FBI on Tuesday named Alejandro Castillo (pictured left in 2015 and right in 2016) to its ‘Ten Most Wanted Fugitives’ list
Le’s body was found in a remote area outside Charlotte on August 17, 2016.
Law enforcement official believe Castillo and Ahmia ‘Mia’ Feaster, who had also worked with the victim and suspect, fled the state in Le’s vehicle and later crossed the US border into Mexico.
The getaway car was found at a bus stop in Phoenix, Arizona.
Surveillance footage captured images of Castillo crossing the border into Mexico, according to the FBI.
He may now reside in San Francisco de los Romo or Pabellón de Arteaga in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes.
Feaster surrendered to authorities in October 2016 in Aguascalientes. Castillo faces state and federal arrest warrants.
Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows images of Alejandro Castillo (highlighted in white shirt) crossing the border into Mexico
On November 2, 2016, the District Court of North Carolina for Mecklenburg County charged him with first degree murder.
The US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina then charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on February 10, 2017.
Castillo is the North Carolina city’s first-ever fugitive named on the notorious FBI list.
Alejandro Castillo (pictured in 2015)
‘Our priority is justice for Sandy’s family and the entire community’, says District Attorney Andrew Murray of North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District.
‘We are hopeful this suspect’s addition to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list will be a significant step toward securing that justice.’
Meanwhile, Le’s family arrived Tuesday at the FBI’s office in Charlotte seeking justice in the case, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The victim’s uncle, Bobby Le, said his niece came to the US from Vietnam at the age of 12, according to the Charlotte Observer.
‘She’s just a (trusting) person’, he said. ‘That’s the problem that I see. She trusts everybody.’
Le had recently graduated from Queens University of Charlotte with a degree in hospital administration, according to her uncle.
The FBI has issued statements in English and Spanish, calling for the public’s help in gathering information leading to Castillo’s arrest.
A map marking the area where Castillo is thought to have crossed the US border from Nogales, Arizona into Mexico and the regions where authorities say he may be hiding (inset left)
Additionally, billboards in several states bordering Mexico are due to feature wanted ads for Castillo.
Castillo, who is originally from Arizona, is 5-foot six-inches and has black hair and brown eyes. He is said to weigh 180 to 190 pounds and speaks English and Spanish.
His aliases include: Alexandro Castillo, Alex Castillo, Alejandro Rosales, Alejandro Rosales Castillo, Alejandro Rosales-Castillo, Alejandro Rosalescastillo.
Anyone with information on Castillo should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Tips can also be provided online to the FBI.